Railway-car end construction.



V. M. SUMMA.

RAILWAY GAR END OONSTRUGTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14.1913.

1,078,222. Patented N0v. I1, 19x3.

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UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

' VICTOR M. SUMMA, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND v FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-CAR END oonsrnuorion.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

Serial No. 741,997.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR M. SUMMA a citizen of the United States,residing at St.

Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain to which it appertains'to make andvuse the.

same. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an elevational view 0f.a car end of my improved construction. Fi 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

My invention relates generally to railway car end construction, and more particularly to the construction of the car end wall or plate.

The principal object of my invention is to construct the car end wall in a single piece, preferably, a section of sheetmetal, and to reinforce and stiffen the same by means of ribs or corrugations, thus providingan extremely simple, inexpensive construction which will'materially increase the strength and rigidity of the end portion of the car body.

A further object of my invention is to construct a car end wall or plate from a single sheet of metal, the same being particularly designed to effectively resist all stresses and strains resulting from shifting loads, ordinary service shocks and vibrations, or collisions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a comparatively strong, lightweight, one-piece car end plate or wall having reat strength and rigidity, the use of whic materially reduces the initial cost of construction and cost of repairs.

In railway cars, and particularly those desigped for and used in freight service, the end portions of the car bodies and particularly the end walls and plates are subjected to great strains and stresses, not only because of the sudden starting and stopping of the cars and the consequent vibration, but by reason of the shifting of the load or contents of the cars while the latter are in transit.

I propose to construct a car end in the form of a corrugated sheet metal plate, the corrugations being arranged so as to strengthen and stiffen the plate to a maximum degree, and to transmit to the sills and plates of the car body frame all stresses and strains which the end wall or plate may receive while in service. a

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the construction of my improved car end, and as shown in the drawings, 10 designates a plate of sheet metal of such size and contour as to form the entire end wall of the car body, said plate having pressed therein a series of radially disposed corrugations 11 which start near the center of the plate and gradually become wider and deeper toward the edges thereof. The plate is preferably dished or made generally concavo-convex in cross section with the central portion thereof occu-v pying a vertical plane slightly in front of the vertical plane occupied by the edges of said plate. This dished formation, combined with the radially disposed corrugations formed in the metal of the plate, provides an exceptionally strong and rigid structure. which is effective in resisting externally applied crushing strains or stresses such as may be received in collisions, or internally applied stresses resulting from shifting loads.

The edges 12 of the plate 10 are bent at right angles to the main body portion of the plate, thereby providing means whereby the end wall or plate may be readily attached'to the car underframe and car body frame.

By constructing the end wall or plate in a single piece, much time and labor can be saved in initial cost and in the cost of repairs, and by radially corrugating the plate. the car end is materially strengthened and the impact and stresses produced by blows which the end plate'may receive in service, are transmitted to the strongest parts of the car body, namely the corners thereof.

If desired a suitable end door or window opening may be formed in the upper portion of the plate, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved car end may be made and substituted for those 2. Acar part comprising a sheet metal plate having radially. arranged corrugations which become gradually wider and deeper. toward the edges of said plate.

3. A car part comprising a sheet metal plate having radially arranged corrugations which start adjacent tothe center of the the plate and become gradually wider and deeper toward the edges of sa1d plate.

4. A car body part comprising a dished sheet metal. plate-having radially arranged corru ations.

5. s a new article 01? manufacture, a car end comprisin a metal plate having r'adlally arrange corrugations which become gfadually deeper toward the edges of said p etc.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a car end formed of a single piece of sheet metal provided with radially arranged corrugations which become gradually wider toward the edges of said piece of sheet metal.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a car end, formed of a single piece .of sheet metal provided with radially arranged cor rugations which gradually increase indepth allld width toward the outer edges of the p ate. I

8. A car end comprising a sheet metal plate the entire body. of which is provided with straight corrugations extending from points adjacent to the center of the plate toward the edges of said plate and which corrugations, gradually increase in depth toward the edges of said plate.

9. A car end comprising a sheet metal late having straight corrugations extendg from points adjacent to the center of late toward the edges of said plate, whic corrugations gradually increase in wlidth and in depthtoward the edges of the "p are.

10. A car end formed of sheet metal and having formed therein a series of substan-i tially straight stiffening ribs or corrugations which are arranged at angles with respect to the marginal edges of said car end and which ribs or corrugations gradually decrease in width and depth toward a common starting point on the sheet of metal.

11. A car end formed of sheet metal and having formed therein a series of substantially straight stifienin ribs or corrugations which are arrang at angles with respectto the marginal edges of said car end, and which stiflening ribs or corrugations gradually increase in depth and width toward the marginal edges.

12. A car end comprising a dished metal plate having formed therein a series of stiff- 'ening ribs or corrugations which are urmnged at angles relative to each other and to the marginal edges of said car end.

13. A car end comprising a metal plate the entire body of which has pressed therein a series. of comparatively straight stiffening ribs or corrugations which taper in width and depth lengthwise.

14. A car end comprising a metal plate the entire body of which has pressed therein a series of comparatively straight stiffening ribs or corrugations which gradually increase in width and depth toward the marginal edges of said our end.

15. A car and comprising a dished sheet metal plate having pressed therein a series of substantially straight stiffening ribs or corrugations which 0 ta er in width and depth lengthwise.

16. A car end comprising a dished sheet metal plate having pressed therein a series of substantially straight stifiening ribs or corrugations which gradually increase in depth and width toward the marginal edges of said car end.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this eighth day of January, 1913.

VICTOR M. SUMMA.

Witnesses: v E. J. Lammn, P. G. Snrrn. 

